


Escaping The Heat

by JunoInferno



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Australia, F/M, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumbelle Christmas in July, evilsnowswan, rcij
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 06:22:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7563655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JunoInferno/pseuds/JunoInferno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On their tour to see the world, Belle and Rumple begin to see their real problems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Escaping The Heat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Evilsnowswan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilsnowswan/gifts).



> This is an RCIJ gift for evilsnowswan who prompted "instructions for a heat wave." I may have veered off course, but I hope you like it. Merry RCIJ!

The heat.

The heat.

In his three hundred years, Rumplestiltskin had travelled to many lands and many places, but nothing quite compared to the absolute godforsaken heat he was experiencing now. What gods had the inhabitants of this land made mad to have wrought such ghastly weather.

Australia they called it.

After freeing his wife from Pandora’s Box, battling their way out of the Land of Untold Stories, Rumplestiltskin and Belle found themselves in a Storybrooke where havoc had been wrought by Regina’s dark side. The odd thing was that no one seemed to have noticed they were missing until the Storybrooke brain trust conveniently remembered their problem solving capabilities.

At which time they decided it might be a good idea to get out and see the world for a bit.

They had started the journey in the Andes, moving their way back up the American coast and then off to Japan. A quick stop in Thailand and now they lingered in Australia.

Belle liked it, the people seemed to think she was one of them. Rumple could hardly make out what they were saying most of the time and then of course there was the heat.

“You might feel better if you didn’t wear that suit everywhere...” Belle chided, dragging out the last word.

“I’m fine,” he lied.

He stood to drape a beach towel around her shoulders, her royal blue bikini framing her slightly rounding belly.

“There’s a reason you don’t see anyone else here wearing a suit, Rumple,” said Belle. “Someone told me this was a record breaking summer heat wave.”

Soon enough a waitress appeared and began speaking Australian to Belle. Some words were exchanged and Rumple thought he managed to order a water.

“Should we go back to the room?,” he asked. “You must want to rest.”

Belle scowled at him. “I slept in a box for three months, Rumple. I’m pretty well rested.” She leaned forward, biting her lower lip, tempting him with an overwhelming swath of cleavage. “I think we should take you to buy something more comfortable.”

“I don’t need anything more comfortable-”

“I could help you,” she said, licking her lips. “I would be happy to help you.”

* * *

 

For a moment to the shopping trip seemed to be just that as Belle chatted happily with the saleswoman and put him in a changing room. Soon enough she appeared behind the curtain divesting him of his suit and tie as they kissed furiously.

“We’re in the back of a shop,” he said breathlessly.

“Like that’s ever bothered you,” she said, unzipping his trousers and reaching into his boxers. She gently caressed his rapidly hardening length. “Mmm, it doesn’t seem to be bothering you now either.”

“Gods, Belle.”

“Take me now,” she growled.

“Which is how you got like that,” he chided.

“I’m sorry, was now unclear?” 

Rumple grabbed her by the hips, earning a soft groan a he pushed her against the wall. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he began thrusting into her. There was no time for smoothness or finesse, just want.

So it was that Rumple next found his brain as he caught the stupid smirk he wore on his face in the glass of the shop door as they left.

* * *

 

The rest of the afternoon was supremely tame compared to that. Belle read one of her travel books trying to decide on their next destination and Rumple tried to learn from a dictionary of Aussie slang. Their hotel suite had a kitchenette and he made a simple dinner of salad and prawns.

“Are you still hot?,” Belle asked.

“I’m fine.”

“You ought to change into some of the clothes we bought,” she chided.

“I think not.”

“Why don’t you put on your swimmers? We could go out together. The moon is so pretty tonight.”

“You enjoy,” he said lamenting the practically microscopic pair Belle had chosen for him.

She put down her fork with a scowl.

“Is this how this is going to be?”

He furrowed his brow in confusion and before he opened his mouth he knew he was going to say the wrong thing. “How what is going to be?”

“You. You’re just going to sit on the sidelines this whole trip. We might as well go back to Storybrooke if this is how you’re going to act-”

“How is it I’m acting?”

Belle shrugged. “Like a total curmudgeon. You haven’t spoken to anyone, you just sit in the shade in that stupid suit sweating to death because the mighty Dark One is afraid to look like a fool!”

“Well, one of us has to behave like an adult,” he snapped.

“Oh, so your lying about becoming the Dark One again, that was you acting like an adult?”

He frowned. “Better than finding whatever merry man happens to wander into town.”

“I knew it!,” Belle snapped. “You’re not over that!”

“Belle, I’m sorry, I misspoke-”

“No, no, let’s get it all out in the open. How about when you came back into town without telling me? That was very adult of you or when you disguised yourself as Hook, yes, that was very mature.”

“Well, you threw me out of town on a whim!”

“You were murdering someone!”

“It was only Hook! He died later anyway and I had nothing to do with it!”

“So it’s alright to kill anyone who is going to die later anyway? Is that why you killed Gaston?”

“Oh, spare me your feigned concern, you didn’t even miss him!” 

Belle stood, tossing aside her napkin.

“Oh, about to run off again, are we?,” asked Rumple.

“I’m getting ice cream.” She stopped and turned. “Unless you know, the woman who runs the shop has a secret plan to destroy the town and you want to tell me about it. Do you want to tell me about something like that?”

Rumple rolled his eyes.

“Right. I’ll just go then.”

* * *

 

An hour later Belle reappeared on the lanai behind the suite. There was a small pool and some lounge chairs. She showed no sign of coming in and sat on one of the chairs as she took her time eating her ice cream.

He pushed open the sliding glass door. “Are you ever coming in?”

“No, I’m fine out here.”

Rumple sighed. “Belle, I don’t want to argue with you.”

“Then don’t be an arse.”

“I’m being an arse?”

“Yes, she and I are agreed.”

“She?”

Belle motioned at her stomach. “Yes, she. We agree you’re an arse and we both like chocolate hazelnut gelato.” She put the cup down. “Why did you even suggest this trip if you weren’t going to have any fun?”

“Because it’s what you wanted.”

“Don’t tell me what I want.”

“It’s all you’ve ever talked about.”

“I want us and our child to be a family. Safe and together.”

“What do you think I want?”

“You can’t shut me out!”

“How am I shutting you out?”

Belle took a breath, considering her response. “When you won’t participate, I’m afraid it’s happening again.”

“Belle, I am what I am-”

“No, I accept that. I do, but I feel like not participating in our life is shutting me out and we’ll end up where we were...”

She needn’t have specified where that was. They both remembered all too well the cold night at the town line.

“Fine,” said Rumple.

He loosened his tie and tossed it aside.

“Wait, what are you doing?,” asked Belle.

“I’m going for a swim,” he said, undoing the buttons of his waistcoat. “If that’s what it takes you to persuade I don’t have any current plans to leave the town to die- which I don’t and they were going to die anyway- fine. I’ll go for a swim.”

“Rumple, wait,” said Belle.

He looked up at her expectantly.

She licked her lips. “Slower.”

He undid each button of his shirt, staring at Belle. By the time he was shucking his shoes and socks, she had gotten off her lounger to come closer. Silently, it became a tete a tete between the two of them. He undid his belt buckle as she pulled her dress dress over her head. He shoved down his boxers and trousers in one motion as she took off her bra, leaving her to step out of her panties.

“Ready?,” she asked.

He nodded silently. Belle did an excited jump into the pool as she giggled, leaving Rumple to chase after her. He swam after her, though there wasn’t far to go and it wasn’t long before he had her cornered in the pool. They stared at each other a heartbeat before their lips crashed together.

It was slower than it had been in a while, as if they were taking their time, waiting through the ripples of the water. He worshipped each breast in turn, lathing it as it bounced out of the water. Belle’s head fell back and she let out a little moan that urged him on. Rumple worked her over, sliding one finger into her center then another until she rode his hand, slowly rising out of the water. She urged him forward as she rode the aftershock, taking him in hand and he slid home, thrusting up into her, the pool buoying his efforts until they both found completion. They stood in the pool a moment, noodle limbed and unable to move.

“We have to go back to Storybrooke, don’t we?,” Belle mused.

Rumple didn’t interrupt.

“We’re just out here avoiding our problems and they’ll find us again.”

“And what about seeing the world?,” Rumple asked.

Belle shook her head. “It’ll be there later.”

“You do realize what this means, though?”

Belle groaned.

* * *

 

 

It was a normal day in Storybrooke as the Evil Queen reigned chaos when Snow White noticed something.

“Gold’s car is back!”

“What?,” David turned to see. The black Cadillac was indeed sitting in front of the pawnshop and the sign was flipped to open.

“I don’t know how to feel about that,” said Emma.

“What do you think he wants this time?,” asked Snow.

Regina rolled her eyes. “You idiots. This is great news.”

“It is?,” Emma frowned.

“Yes, he helped make me the Evil Queen so he’s probably the best chance we have of controlling her.”

The other three looked at her in surprise.

“What? Did you think anyone else was going to have a better idea? Maybe the pirate or Sneezy?”

They walked into the pawnshop. Rumple stood behind the counter with Belle. He exchanged a quick glance with his wife and looked at his watch.

“Fifteen minutes. That’s all it took.”

“Okay, we learned our lesson,” said Snow.

“Really, dearie? You’ve learned your lesson about not spouting off secrets?”

Snow’s chin dropped in outrage. She looked to see Regina shrugging.

“Regina!”

“How am I supposed to argue with him when he’s right?”

Emma sighed. “Come on, Gold.”

“You don’t have to beg,” said Belle. “We’re going to help you, not because you’ve done anything to deserve it, but mostly so you leave us alone.”

“Wait,” said David. He looked at Rumple. “Why have you come back? How do we know this isn’t part of some plot to steal magic or kill everyone in the town to die?”

“Well, first, I brought magic here, so I could hardly steal it-”

Emma groaned.

“Second, I wasn’t going to kill you, the Snow Queen was, but no, I currently, I have no plans to kill you all.”

Snow frowned. “How can we be sure?”

Rumple shrugged. “Because you would all be dead.”

“And what do we do about the Evil Queen?,” asked Regina.

“Oh, color me shocked you haven’t solved that in my absence.”

“We’re working on it,” said Belle.

The door opened and Archie walked in. He looked at the assembly.

“I can come back,” he offered.

“No, Archie, you’re staying,” said Belle. She cast a glare at their visitors. “They’re leaving.”

“And what about the Evil Queen?,” asked Regina.

“I suggest you try to stay alive until we’re done,” said Rumple.

Regina shook her head. “So glad to have you back.”

* * *

 

  
The four walked outside. Snow and David split off.

Emma motioned back inside the pawnshop. “Wait, they called Archie... Are they getting counseling?”

Regina scoffed. “They clearly need it.”

“You’re one to talk. Your evil twin is running around town.”

“And you don’t know how to handle that.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure I could.”

“I doubt she would accommodate.”

“It’s the one thing we haven’t tried and we definitely don’t need Gold for it.”

Regina shivered.

“Emma! Regina! Come on!,” called Snow.

“She hasn’t caught on, has she?,” asked Emma.

“This surprises you?”

 

 


End file.
